The Family Business
by Gothic984
Summary: Gail starts to consider the situation she allowed herself to be in, while Caleb has suspicions over Christie.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from My Best Friend.

It was a cool, calm evening in Trinity South Carolina. The air was still and there was an eerie atmosphere, as though some unknown entity was in waiting for something to transpire.

Merlyn Temple sat on the edge of Johnson's Bridge, waiting for her companion to join her. This area was always quiet at night, due to the amount of unexpected deaths that appeared to take place here and it gave it a haunting feeling.

The last 'accident' she remembered was of a man who wanted to challenge Lucas Buck, she was disappointed in herself for not remembering his name and was beginning to wonder whether her new life had caused her to abandon her previous morals. The sound of footsteps coming towards her took Merlyn out of her thoughts and she gave herself a mental shake, she turned towards the sound of footsteps and smiled when she spotted her companion.

Matt smiled warmly at the young woman in front of him and felt a strange feeling flow through him. Seeing her always made him forget about the long hours he worked, or the things that irritated him the most and she was like a ray of sunshine in his otherwise empty existence.

'I hope it wasn't too much trouble for you to get here' Merlyn smiled, as he sat down beside her carefully and dangled his legs over the edge with hers.

'It wasn't too bad, there's always someone willing to give the friendly neighborhood Doctor a ride' Matt joked and stared out into the still water.

Merlyn watched him carefully, then turned her attention towards the water below. She knew some people would disapprove of their close relationship; however, he was the one constant in this town that did not let her down. She loved her family dearly and she was grateful that their strangeness had allowed her a second chance at life, she just could not find a common ground with them anymore and she did not like how accepting she was of certain things these days.

Matt was different, he could not be corrupted. He remained loyal to Gail, which was commendable considering who she had aligned herself with and Merlyn envied his ability to always remain positive about her cousin, even when it was becoming more evident that her priorities were leading her down a dark road. Merlyn found herself drawn to Matt's goodness and felt like he was the way back from all the darkness that surrounded her, in this town it was important to hold on to the light to ensure she was not engulfed by the darkness.

Matt glanced at his companion and brushed a stray of hair out of her eyes, when she remained silent for a few minutes. 'If you're worried about causing me inconvenience for coming here, disregard that right now...I'd come wherever you wanted me to' he said honestly.

Merlyn laughed and shook her head. 'And if I wanted to meet in the center of town in the middle of the day, would you do that too?' she asked.

'There's no law against friends meeting in public' Matt shrugged, not knowing where this was going.

Merlyn reached over and gently took his hand in hers. 'There may be a law against this' she smiled nervously, then brought his hand to her lips and kissed it softly.

Matt inhaled deeply and shook his head at what he was allowing. The girl was 17 years old and this was not right; however, he let her control his hand and did not pull away. 'You know, I don't even know when your birthday is' he forced a laugh and turned back towards the water.

Merlyn felt a wave of uncertainty flow through her. Matt had been very understanding about her not wanting to discuss her past, his ability to allow her to start afresh and get to know her without digging into her past drama was one of the things she admired most about him. If she was to tell him the actual date of her birthday, she knew he would make the connection with who she really was and she was not willing to allow that to happen.

Merlyn let go of his hand and stood up, then started to walk slowly towards the road at the far side of the bridge. 'I'm starvin', wanna grab somethin' to eat?' she asked in an attempt to change the subject, then smiled when he got up and rushed to join her.

'I've not long finished a 10 hour shift, I could kill for a large cheese burger right now' he smiled, sensing her discomfort.

Merlyn laughed and shook her head. 'Alright, what the Doctor wants the Doctor gets. Just don't shun me if I gain weight' she joked and reached in her bag for her mobile telephone, to see if Ben would be kind enough to pick them up.

* * *

Caleb sat in the Public Library, watching Poppy as she wrote some notes. He did not understand why she had dragged him here, as she had no reason to have to study; however, he enjoyed spending time with her wherever they were and would have to deal with her choice of venue.

He had been spending more time with Poppy lately, despite his cousins objections and he had began to feel a constant stream of confidence flowing through him. He knew this was his Buck side and it made him feel good; however, he was still cautious of the thing that currently lay dormant inside of him and he was remaining cautious when he felt it attempting to rise within him a lot more recently.

Caleb was not stupid, he fully understood what he had done to Gail and her unborn child. He did not want to lose control like that again and would not allow himself to hurt anybody; however, the thought of a mysterious part of himself that he had not fully explored excited him and he would not push down something that was a part of him.

A sudden burst of pain surged through his mind and he turned quickly to Poppy, unsure of what was happening. Poppy remained quiet writing her notes and shot him a playful wink when she spotted him looking at her.

'I'm sorry for draggin' you here...' she whispered, '...We'll go somewhere fun soon, I promise'

Caleb smiled back at her and waved off her comment, to indicate he was fine and then stood up and began walking down the large aisle. There were rows of bookshelves, all labelled with specific categories and something made him stop at the row labelled History. Caleb started suspiciously down the row and spotted Christie at the end, with her head in a book. He was about to wave to get her attention; however, the darkness inside of him awoke and caused him to halt.

Caleb did not like the feeling of being controlled in such a way; however, he quietly moved to the row beside History and started walking slowly to the end. He stopped when he sensed Christie was on the other side and just waited.

When he heard her place the book she had been reading back on the shelf and leave, he quickly rushed to the History section and picked up the book she had replaced. It appeared to be a book detailing the happenings in Trinity from the year 1980 to 1990. As he turned to pages quickly, the darkness within stopped him on the chapter surrounding 1986. The year rang a bell with him; however, he was unsure why, then it hit him that 1986 was when Gail's parents died in the fire.

Caleb thought for a moment, wondering why this would interest Christie. They had been friends for years and from what he had gathered, he thought Christie knew about Gail's history. This was all very strange and he did not like it; therefore, he took the book and returned to Poppy.

'I wondered where you'd gotten too...' she smiled, '...You found a book?'

Caleb nodded and handed it to her. 'Can you get this out for me?' he asked, not wanting it to be associated to him if anyone checked.

Poppy reviewed the book and glanced at Caleb. 'They don't usually let you take the history books out without a good reason, not after Bobby Ray torched one in protest of his history grade'

'Why would he think that would do anythin'?' Caleb asked confused.

'Beats me...' Poppy shrugged, then got up from her seated position. '...You wait here, I'll see if I can play on the Mayor's wife's friendship with your cousin to get this'

Caleb watched Poppy head towards the Librarian's station and glanced around for Christie, unable to locate the woman. He did not know what she was up to; however, the mysterious part of him clearly wanted him to keep an eye on her.

* * *

Lucas returned home after allowing Ben to finish early, to enable him to pick up Merlyn. Ben tried to hide his reasoning for needing to leave in such a hurry; however, Lucas was fully aware of what was going on in his town. Merlyn was no bother to him while she was distracted with Harvard and it meant he could slip out early himself.

He stood for a moment after hanging up his jacket, trying to establish where his family where situated and smiled when he heard the faint sound of Johnny Cash coming from down the hall. Lucas knew instantly that Gail was in the Library trying to look into his old texts and truly he did not mind, as he wanted her to accept this place as her home and he did not keep anything of any real importance out in the open anyway; however, he hoped she was not back on her witch hunt to dig up his past.

When he reached the Library and discreetly glanced around the partly open door, he smiled when he saw her wrapped loosely in a blanket with Luke held to her chest and rocking him gently, while her attention was fixed on the book she was reading. He sneaked into the room quietly, careful not to alert her to his presence, then leaned down slowly and placed a soft kiss on her bare shoulder, which was not covered by the blanket.

Gail gave a slight jump, then relaxed when she realised who had interrupted her alone time with Luke in here. She shook her head at her own failure to notice Lucas had returned home and let out an irritated sigh. 'You should be more careful, what if I would've jumped and dropped him?' she scolded.

Lucas laughed and shook his head. 'Darlin' if you really thought you were in danger, I believe that dark part of you would've reared her nasty little self' he mocked.

Gail stared up at him unimpressed, then turned her attention back to the book. 'Where's Caleb? He wasn't at school when I went to get him'

'With Poppy Bowen I suspect...that girl really has him under her spell' he smiled and took a seat beside her.

Gail inhaled deeply, in an attempt to control her anger. 'Are you really not concerned about that at all?' she asked in disbelief.

'He's a growin' boy love...' Lucas shrugged, '...You can't shield him from experiencin' life'

'It may not be him I'm trying to shield, considering his last reaction when he felt like he was being challenged in that girls presence'

Lucas let out a long sigh and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 'We've discussed this, I'll show him the way and everythin' will be fine...Now, do I really have to point out that we have a rare instance of havin' an empty house to ourselves?' he smiled mischievously, then reached under the blanket and gently cupped her breast. Lucas had noticed Gail's attention had been elsewhere recently, which meant she was more accepting of his advances and did not resist as much as she used to.

Gail glanced down at his hand, then stared deep into his eyes and licked her lips teasingly. 'Do I have to point out that we're never truly alone' she whispered, then smiled at Luke who had tangled his small fingers in her hair.

'Has that ever stopped me before Miss Emory?' Lucas smiled, then leaned closer to her ear and whispered his desired instructions in German.

Gail listened carefully, then took a deep breath. It had been a long time since he had displayed his lingual dexterity and this educated side of him always inrtigued her. 'Well, if you're going to put it like that...' she started, then leaning in and kissed him passionately.

Lucas savoured the taste of her tongue in his mouth and began kissing her more forcefully, until he heard a quiet whine from Luke. Lucas pulled away irritated, then let out a long sigh and took his boy in his arms. 'Alright Miss Emory, you have your orders. What's say we put this one down and get too it, before we're rudely interrupted by my eldest?' he suggested, as he headed towards the back passages which led to his bedroom.

Gail shook her head, then stood up and began to follow slowly behind him. She was concerned about Caleb and the fact that he was with Poppy at such a late time in the evening on a school night; however, the activities her lover was offering could only help calm her and she was grateful for the distraction.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Merlyn awoke to the smell of bacon coming from Abe's kitchen, she was not used to him cooking and was surprised the old man still knew how. She gave a long stretch and reached for her dressing gown, not wanting to miss out on an actual hot home cooked breakfast; however, when she rushed down the stairs to the kitchen, she felt a wave of unease at the sight of Gail standing over the stove.

'You didn't really think he'd make you breakfast did you?' Gail asked and winked playfully at Abe, who was feeding Luke his bottle.

Merlyn glanced at Abe, who was giving her an unimpressed look, then walked towards the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of pure orange juice. 'There's a first time for everythin'' she replied, sensing the calm demeanor her cousin was displaying was a facade and sat down beside Abe.

'I ain't never cooked when my Mrs was around and there's no way in hell I'll be doin' that now she's gone...' Abe said and smiled down at Luke as he fed from the bottle peacefully. '...You shouldn't feed him this way Rosie, this should be natural'

Gail let out a long sigh and turned the bacon over in the frying pan. 'It is 90% of the time but I have to live my life Uncle and I can't do that with a baby boy hanging off me all of the time. Besides, it's still my milk he's getting, just a different packaging'

Abe rolled his eyes at her comment, then leaned in closer to Merlyn. 'You got in late last night girl...I can't keep coverin' for you' he whispered.

Merlyn knew Abe kept the frequency of her visits with Matt away from Gail and she appreciated the show of loyalty; however, she knew if Gail asked him outright he would not be able to lie to her.

'That's why I don't ask outright' Gail smiled, reading her mind.

Merlyn watched her cousin carefully, she was not giving up the reason why she was here and it was making her nervous.

'We'll get there' Gail advised calmly, as she began to place their plates on the table.

Merlyn shook her head and stood up. 'Well, while I'm waitin' for my scoldin' I might as well help with breakfast' she said, placing some bread in the toaster and putting the scrambled egg that had already been cooked on a large plate.

Gail let out a small laugh and started draining the fat off the bacon, before placing it on a large plate and putting it in the center of the table. She sensed Merlyn's unease and it was oddly pleasing, it was about time someone other than her felt concern over something. She watched as Merlyn placed the toast on a plate, then brought it over with the eggs and sat down. When Merlyn went to serve her some bacon, she shook her head and nodded towards the eggs.

'You still tryin' to watch your figure? You look great considering you had a baby 3 months ago' Merlyn smiled and handed her cousin a piece of wholemeal toast to go with her eggs.

'I'm getting there, but that fried bacon is not going to help me' Gail laughed and began buttering her toast.

Abe watched the two girls cautiously, he could tell this nice act from the both of them was not real and something was going on. His Rosie always came to see him in the day and last thing at night, before she went home to settle with her family. It was not common practice for her to visit this early in the morning and it was usually Lucas who came to take him out for breakfast. 'This smells lovely Rosie, thanks for comin' out of your way to look after us' he smiled, trying to keep conversation pleasant.

Gail smiled warmly at Abe and touched his hand gently, she had really grown to love this old man and he had become the family that she never truly got to have when she was younger. 'You're welcome Uncle...I might have to start making an effort to swing by more often, make sure you're both behaving' she joked.

Abe glanced at Merlyn, then down at his plate. Gail had started to fill it with a large portion of bacon and eggs, then she gently took the bottle out of his hand and took Luke in her arms. 'I coulda finished him off while you ate your breakfast' he advised.

Gail positioned Luke carefully and began feeding him the remainder of his bottle. 'You think I ever have time to eat with everybody in the morning?' she asked sarcastically, as she waited for Luke to finish.

'I think you should make time for yourself' Merlyn said, as she bit into her toast.

'You mean like you do? I see you're enjoying a lot of alone time with my friend...' Gail said, knowing she would find a natural opening for what she wanted to discuss. '...Have you seen Caleb recently? It appears he's seriously taken by someone older too'

Merlyn nearly choked on her toast, then tried to regain her composure. She glanced at Abe, who was wisely staring intently at the food on his plate, then turned her full attention to Gail. 'He ain't my responsibility...'

'He's all of ours...' Gail interrupted bluntly, '...We had an agreement, but it appears you're too busy frolicking about with Matt to remember. So, I'll ask the question again...do you want me to fix this or are you going to step up?'

Merlyn could see the rage in Gail's eyes, she was hiding it well from Abe; however, she knew it was there. Merlyn remembered she had agreed to keep Poppy away from Caleb, to ensure Gail did not release that rage and she supposed she had not given the subject her full concentration recently. 'It's fine, I'll sort it...Now, what's our next subject at the paper? You haven't given me any instructions since the Walter Maine thing' Merlyn stated, trying to change the subject.

Gail took a deep breath to control the darkness within her, then stared down at Luke. He was her anchor to bring her back from the dark place she felt herself being pulled towards recently and she did not know what she would do without him. 'Maybe you should write about a teenage girl grooming a young boy?' Gail suggested cattily and disregarded Abe's shocked intake of breath.

Merlyn let out an irritated laugh and shook her head. 'I said I'll sort it didn't I? Just drop it' she snapped, getting up from the table and heading towards her bedroom.

Gail watched her leave and bit her lip in frustration, she turned towards Abe and shook her head at the judgmental stare he was giving her.

'He's a young boy who's sweet on a young girl, that ain't so bad Rosie' Abe attempted to reason.

'Oh don't you start...' Gail snapped, then placed the bottle on the table and started pacing the room winding Luke.'...You sound just like your old friend, you're allowing him to coach you and turn you against me now?'

Abe pushed his plate towards the middle of the table and stood up. 'Don't dare take that tone with me Rosie...You know better than to suggest Lucas influenced me in any way. Besides, when have I chosen him over you?' he asked offended, then stormed out of the kitchen and headed for his bedroom.

Gail continued to pace the room for a few moments, then sat back down and picked up a piece of toast. 'At least you won't defy me just yet' she said to Luke, forcing a playful tone and then let out a long exasperated sigh.

* * *

Lucas waited in his Crown Victoria parked in his driveway, while Caleb grabbed his lunch. He had hoped to continue the activities he had started with Gail last night before he had to head to work; however, when he woke up, she was nowhere to be found. When he opened his minds eyes, he located her at Abe's place with Luke and decided that she must just want to spend some time with the old man. He could not deny her that privilege, as Abe was an unofficial part of her family.

He had been happy to see that she had ensured Caleb's lunch was left in the kitchen and she had even made a large sandwich for him to take to work. It appeared she had naturally taken to family life and he was impressed that she was performing her duties well. It was obvious that their family was not conventional, Lucas could not help that; however, he was pleasantly surprised to see that everyone appeared to be attempting to come across as normal.

The sound of the passenger door opened took Lucas away from his thoughts and he smiled at Caleb when he got in. 'You all set for school son?' he asked, as he turned on the engine and began pulling out of the driveway.

'Take me to Poppy's first' Caleb ordered, assuming Lucas would take him without question.

Lucas glanced at Caleb in disbelief, then slammed on his breaks and smiled when Caleb fell forward. 'Do I look like a chauffeur to you?' he asked sternly.

Caleb glanced at Lucas and saw something dark come across his eyes. 'Uh, no sir. I just thought...'

'You thought you could bark orders at me and I'd jump, like Harvard when you grace him with your presence? Son, I'm Lucas Buck...you better mind that tone around me' he ordered, then turned on the engine and started heading towards the school.

Caleb sat quietly for a moment, annoyed at himself for misjudging his Father and then decided to speak up. 'I didn't mean nothin' by it, I just thought you didn't mind me spendin' time with Poppy' he shrugged.

Lucas inhaled deeply and shook his head, he was torn between his lover and his son on this one; therefore, regardless of which way he went, someone would take offence. 'I ain't got no problem with you hangin' out with that fiery red head, but there's a way to do things...You need to learn how to keep all the pawns on the board happy, otherwise you'll be in for a world of trouble' Lucas advised.

Caleb thought for a moment, knowing he was referring to Gail and let out a long sigh. 'Gail don't understand...'

'She understands plenty, she managed you when she first got with me now didn't she? It's you that ain't usin' your brain here son' Lucas interrupted.

'Meanin' what?' Caleb snapped defensively.

'Meanin' it ain't so hard to keep two women happy at the same time, you just need to learn how to manage your time better' Lucas winked at him mischievously.

Caleb pondered on this for a moment, then nodded. 'Alright, what do you suggest?' he asked curiously.

Lucas smiled at his sons willingness to learn and tapped his knee affectionately. 'Leave Poppy alone for today, focus on school and be there when your cousin inevitably comes to get you...That ain't so hard and you'll see the benefits from both sides'

'Poppy won't like me leavin' her alone today, we were supposed to go see a movie later' Caleb interjected.

Lucas laughed and shook his head. 'Speakin' from experience son, give a girl a little taste then just walk away...I guarantee you she'll come back even more hot and bothered than before'

Caleb did not fully understand what Lucas meant; however, he knew he had somehow convinced Gail around when she used to hate him and Caleb had seen all the woman in town looking at him. Caleb did not know how he would feel with all that attention, but Lucas seemed to be doing well and who was he to disregard his Fathers advice. 'OK, I don't want to but I'll keep away from her today...While I remember, I saw Christie doin' somethin' yesterday' he said, feeling a sudden strong urge to tell his Father everything.

'That old girl can't do anythin' these days son, your cousin's got her back on her leash' Lucas laughed and turned into the school parking lot.

Caleb was about to say more as he had been reading up on 1986 and a lot of it did focus on Lucas, then he chose to keep his opinion to himself and started to exit the car when Lucas pulled up; however, Lucas took hold of his arm firmly.

'You be on your best behaviour now son...If we get some time after school, we might see if we can sneak away and explore a certain side of you a little more' he whispered.

Caleb smiled excitedly, he had been waiting for Lucas to take an interest in that part of him and it took away his disappointment at not being able to see Poppy today. 'Alright, I'll be good and I'll see if Gail will drop me off at the Station if you're not too busy later'

'I'm never too busy for my eldest, now run along or Miss Coombs will have my hide for makin' you late' he advised, then smiled when Caleb closed the door and rushed into the school, waving excitedly as he went out of sight.

Lucas was proud of himself for convincing the boy to leave Poppy for today, that would go a long way in easing Gail's mind and he would reap the benefits later on no doubt. Now he just had to ensure his schedule was clear, to ensure he made time to coach the boy later on.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Merlyn sat in Gail's office at the Trinity Guardian, sorting through a list of tasks that she had left for her to complete. They had not spoken much when Gail drove her to work this morning; however, her cousin did inform her that she had arranged for a new starter at the Newspaper to drive her around, should she need it when Gail was present. The thought of someone chauffeuring her around town made Merlyn uneasy; however, the fact that Gail had arranged this even though she appeared mad at her was amusing and she knew her cousin was not blaming her what was going on with Caleb, like she had initially thought.

The whole situation was irritating, Merlyn had just started enjoying a less complicated life and now her brother was acting up. She decided she would put it at the back of her mind and focus on her tasks for the day, to ensure Gail knew she was taking this role seriously.

A slight creak from the office door handle caught her attention and she stared in the direction of the door. She had left the blinds closed, as she did not like people watching her in Gail's office; however, she regretted that decision now, as she had no idea who she was about to be dealing with. Christie entered the office slowly, then stopped in her tracks when she saw her sat behind Gail's desk.

Merlyn forced a warm smile and put the list Gail had left her securely in her bag, before getting up to meet the woman who was clearly trying to sneak unnoticed into her cousins office. 'What a nice surprise...what can I do you for this fine mornin'?' she asked sarcastically, in her sweetest tone.

Christie stared at the girl in irritation for a moment, then forced a smile. She had thought she would have the office to herself and she had not considered Gail would allow this girl to work in her private space. 'I was hoping to find Gail in here, Mark has tasked me with covering the wedding of the century and it's kinda hard to do without authorisation from the bride' Christie said, trying to act natural.

Merlyn inhaled deeply and nodded, she could see right through Christie's falseness and was curious as to what she was up to. She did not want to alert the woman to her suspicions; therefore, she continued to smile sweetly and played on her innocent demeanor. 'Well there may be a problem there as Gail has tasked me with coverin' the weddin', somethin' about me being her family and all...I best give her a call so we can clear this right up' she suggested and reached for her mobile telephone, guessing Christie would not want Gail alerted to her presence here.

Christie was not impressed that Gail had chosen this girl to cover something so personal to her and would usually want to hash this out; however, she knew her friend would see right through her facade if she came here now and Christie did not want that just yet. 'You know what? Let's not bother her, she might be busy with the baby...We'll all get together to discuss it later, you just get back to what you were doing' Christie said and rushed out of the office.

Merlyn watched her leave curiously, then closed the door and opened the blinds. Christie's desk was within eye shot of the office and she decided it may be worth keeping an eye on her for the time being.

* * *

Gail sat in her Mustang with her head on the steering wheel, attempting to come up with a reason for how her life had gotten so complicated. She had handled taking in two children, in addition to having one of her own and had managed to balance her work life around it all; however, her work life was starting to merge with her personal life and she could not figure out a way to prevent this.

She knew her downfall had been getting involved with the charismatic Sheriff of Trinity, she had even enjoyed the challenge of keeping their personal lives private from the prying residents who yearned for as much gossip as they could find; however, the game had changed when she accepted his proposal of marriage and she was not prepared for what came next.

Gail had never contemplated that Lucas would seriously desire such a commitment from her. She understood he had a reputation to uphold and with this being such a small old fashioned town, the sanctity of marriage went hand in hand with family. She had allowed herself to create a family with the highest standing person in this community; therefore, she had an obligation to respect the traditions that came along with that. It did not mean that she had to like it and when her Editor Mark had reminded her of the exclusive she had promised him a few weeks earlier, her heart sank.

Gail was a strong, independent woman and she did not want to be tied down in any way, especially by a man like Lucas Buck; however, she had put off the inevitable for long enough and now she had to take the appropriate steps, to keep to her end of the bargain. She had accepted the proposal and gave the Trinity Guardian the exclusive, to distract Lucas previously and now she had to live with her choices.

Gail had disregarded Mark's request for Christie to cover the story and had given the task to Merlyn. She wanted as much control over this as she could get and Merlyn was family, even if she could not openly share that fact with people. Part of her was thankful that Gage had kept the girl hidden away for so many years, or her miraculous return to the land of the living would have caused her so much more grief. Thankfully Merlyn was on her side and she did not know what she would do without the girl. She would use that to her advantage, with the support she would require with this horrific situation she had found herself in.

She wished she could just focus on Caleb right now, he needed her attention and Gail was ready to give it all to him; however, her anger over the Poppy situation did not help anyone right now, so she supposed this distraction might be for the best until she had time to consider the best way to move forward.

Gail let out a long sigh, then exited the car and got Luke out of his car seat. When she entered the Sheriff's Station, she approached the counter then smiled gratefully when Ben took Luke and signaled for her go to Lucas' office. She had confided in Ben about her wedding issues earlier today, over their usually morning coffee meeting and he was happy to help in any way he could.

When she approached the office, she felt a wave of unease flow through her. She stood outside the door for a moment, taking a few deep breaths, then entered the dark office and shot her lover an unimpressed look.

Lucas looked up from the report he was reading, then smiled appreciatively as he looked her up and down, admiring her figure. As the weather had turned calmer of late, Gail had taken to wearing short dresses whenever she thought she would be heading into town. He liked that she was aware of her appearance and how she would be portrayed. The Emory's were masters of keeping up appearances and Christine Emory would not be seen with a hair out of place, or a crease in the mid length dresses that she used to wear.

He could see that Gail clearly understood she was being watched, due to their relationship and she had taken the necessary steps to ensure her image was how it should be. Lucas admired her commitment to their family and commended her effort to sustain his high reputation. 'Well this is a surprise...' he said, as he stood up from behind his desk and approached her. '...To what do i owe this pleasure?'

Gail could see the adoration in his eyes and felt her guard starting to melt. She had wanted to remain angry at the situation he had put her in; however, she could sense his devotion to her and was finding it hard to be mad at him.

Her plan had been to come here and demand a small wedding, with only them and their required witnesses. She was not going to take no for an answer and was prepared for a very heated argument; however, when he closed the distance between them, she lost track of her thoughts and just gently pushed him back towards the desk. 'I hate you' she sighed, as her desire for him took over and she began unbuttoning his pants.

Lucas allowed her to take control and watched her closely. He sensed her resentment over something when he had gotten closer to her and was prepared for a fight; however, it appeared her urges had taken over, so he sat down on his desk as she released his manhood. 'I do bring out these conflictin' emotions in you don't I?' he smirked, patiently awaited her next move.

'Why is it that you like to see me suffer so much?' she asked, as she stepped out of her panties and knelt on the desk, then stared deep into his eyes.

Lucas inhaled deeply and did not take his eyes off of her, he could sense her sweet spot close to his manhood and his passion for her started to flood through him. 'I guess when I think of an Emory, a bad taste comes to my mouth...but you won't be an Emory for much longer now will you?' he teased and gripped her hips tight.

Gail let out a slow aroused breath and licked her lips seductively, then lowered herself onto his manhood and smiled at his loud moan. 'That depends...I might just keep my name, kill you in your sleep then have off with the children and your fortune' she mocked, as she began to move up and down slowly.

Lucas laughed at her comment and moved his hands under her short dress, then ran them up her sides and squeezed her breasts hard. 'I'd love to see you attempt that...Mrs Buck' he smiled and felt her hands close around his neck.

'You don't think I could do it Master Buck?' she asked sweetly, as she began to squeeze his neck gently.

Lucas ran his hands down her back, then gripped her behind. 'I think you'd need to squeeze harder than that love' he teased, then picked her up and slammed her hard against the wall.

Gail laughed at his need to always be in control and released her grip on his neck, she wrapped her legs around him tight and let out a loud moan when he started pounding in and out of her. 'That's not fair, I had a whole thing planned there' she feigned disappointment.

'Well that'll teach you to pre-warn me off your plans Gail' he panted, while continuing to thrust in and out of her.

Gail tangled her hands in his hair and forced her lips on his for a passionate kiss. She had missed this exquisite act this morning and felt like she was going to explode with the intense pleasure that was surging through her.

Lucas savoured the taste of her tongue in his mouth and picked up the pace. She felt tight around his manhood and he could not get enough of the feeling of being inside of her. He sensed her climax coming and let go of his. As it rose within him and he exploded inside of her, he forced his lips harder onto hers to stifle their yells.

Gail held him to her as the kiss became less intense, then pulled away from the embrace. She allowed him to rest his head on her chest while he caught his breath and inhaled deeply herself, to allow some air to enter her lungs. After a few moments, he pulled out of her gently and placed her down, causing her to let out a low moan.

Lucas handed her a handkerchief to clean herself up with, then stroked her cheek and kissed her softly before pulling her back towards his desk and forcing her to sit on his knee. 'So, you want a quiet wedding?' he asked, when his mind became clear and he could read her thoughts.

Gail let out a long sigh and shook her head. 'You're going to say that isn't an option' she said, reading his mind.

'Well that saved a long argument...Is there anythin' else I can help you with Mrs Buck?' he teased.

'Miss Emory...and you didn't really help now did you?' she asked, as she pulled away from his grasp and looked for her panties.

'You brought this to the attention of your Editor Gail, this ain't on me' Lucas advised and handed her the panties, when it appeared she was struggling to find them.

Gail rolled her eyes, ensured she was fully dressed and left the office without another word.

Lucas laughed at her stubbornness and returned to his report, he knew better than to follow her when she felt like she was backed into a corner.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Gail sat in her blood red Mustang, with the upbeat sound of Carrie Underwood coming from her radio. She could not hide the grin from her face, as she drove towards her place of work with Caleb in the passenger seat. Not only had Caleb actually been waiting for her after school for a change, he also did not want to see Poppy.

Gail was surprised at this sudden change in her cousin, especially as he had been so adamant about spending time Poppy previously; however, she would not look a gift horse in the mouth and had not questioned his choice to remain in the car, when she dropped Luke off with Abe at the Antique Store.

It had been a strangely quiet ride and Gail had been about to break the silence, when Caleb asked if he could visit Merlyn at the Guardian. It had been a while since Caleb wanted to spend time with his sister and she was sure Merlyn would be happy to see him; therefore, she headed straight to her place of work and decided she would pick them up in an hour, once she had ran some errands.

As they pulled up in front of the building, Gail placed her hand affectionately on his knee and smiled. 'You're sure you'll be alright here for an hour? I need to grab some shopping and a few bits, so I doubt I'll be any earlier' she informed him.

Caleb smiled sweetly at his cousin and placed his hand on top of hers. 'I'll be fine cous', Merly will be able to show me where all the juicy old stories are. I'll be happy with that'

Gail gave him a long hug before handing him her key card and signaling for him to go. She had already called ahead to security to inform them he was coming; therefore, she could not see him running into any trouble.

She watched to ensure he got into the building safely, before putting the Mustang in drive and heading towards the Sheriff's Station. She had put her stress over the wedding behind her for the day and wanted to pick up where she had left off with Lucas earlier, with her having a rare hour of being completely child free and she knew he would have no objections.

* * *

Caleb stared at the large main room, which was filled with Reporters and office staff. He smiled pleasantly at anyone who caught his eye; however, he knew they were too engrossed in their own lives to wonder about him. He waited patiently until he could make his way to Gail's office unseen, then tried to plan his next move.

Caleb had been experiencing a strange feeling of annoyance all day, he had attempted to ignore it; however, he had began to realise it was coming from the dark part of himself, which he was trying to keep under control and he felt a strong urge to come to the Trinity Guardian. Caleb had made the choice to attempt to understand this part of him and believed he should follow his instincts to find out what this was about.

When he reached Gail's office, he noticed Christie crouched down at Gail's desk and entered the room quietly. He had witnessed Christie acting suspicious at the Library and here she was, attempting to get on to Gail's computer. Caleb did not know what this was; however, the dark part of him was rising more and more with every second that past.

Christie cursed out loud, when she failed for the forth time to guess Gail's password and let out a long sigh. The slow movement of the blinds closing caught her attention and she jumped when she noticed Caleb standing by the closed office door. 'What are you doing here?' she asked confused, as she got up from behind the desk.

Caleb felt something come over him and he could not regain full control of his body. He watched Christie like a hawk through an angry glare and began to walk slowly towards her. 'I think we ought to be more concerned with what you're doin' here...Care to elaborate on why you're tryin' to crack my cousins password?' he asked in a voice unlike his own.

Christie stared at Caleb, then felt a wave of unease when she caught a glimpse of something dark pass over his eyes. She recognised that look from how Lucas Buck regarded her and began to back away slowly. 'We work together, I needed a file that we share' she lied and did not take her eyes off of him.

Caleb let out a venomous laugh and shook his head, whilst continuing to close the distance between them. 'Nice try, but I ain't that dumb...care to try again?'

Christie heard a low growl coming from behind the couch in the middle of the office and turned to see Gail's dog Gideon barring his teeth at her. The door had not opened; therefore, she was unsure how he had gotten in and she felt a shadow of concern fall over her. 'I don't need to tell you anything...' she forced an authoritative tone, whilst trying to watch both Caleb and Gideon. '...You're just a boy and your cousin won't appreciate the way you're acting around me'

Caleb felt his darkness take hold fully and it willed Gideon forward, he watched powerless as Gideon obeyed the silent order and began to stalk Christie. 'My cousin wouldn't appreciate you tryin' to get into her private files, I'm assumin' that's why you've waited until Merlyn's gone before tryin' your luck?' he asked knowingly.

Christine saw the dog moving closer to her and turned towards the door, ready to make her escape; however, she knew the dog would have her before she made it. She let off an involuntary shudder and felt tears begin to form in her eyes, the blinds were somehow closed now so no-one could see what was happened. It appeared she was stuck here and she sensed the danger she was in.

Suddenly the door burst open and Gail rushed in, closing it behind her. 'Heel' she ordered Gideon, noticing he was stalking Christie then turned her attention to Caleb.

'He just wants to get a little closer to her, see how she tastes' Caleb said with a devilish grin.

Gail narrowed her eyes at him, then turned towards Gideon who continued to move closer to Christie. 'Stop!' she snapped sternly and relaxed slightly when Gideon gave his head a shake, then rushed to her side instinctively.

Christie watched Caleb cautiously, he had not taken his eyes off of her even though Gail was in the office and she was scared to move.

'Go' Gail calmly ordered Christie and placed all of her focus on Caleb.

When Christie rushed out of the office, Caleb slowly turned towards Gail and stared at her with disdain. He could feel the hatred flowing through his veins and did not know how to stop it.

Gail had felt her darkness clawing to be released, ever since she sensed the change in Caleb and turned her car around; however, she kept it pushed down and was determined to control this situation herself. She did not know why this had come over him all of a sudden and she wanted more than anything to understand what was going on with him. 'Caleb, I need you to stand down' she said calmly.

'Is that what my Father does? Bow to your every whim' he spat out venomously.

Gail took a deep breath and moved a step closer to him. When Merlyn rushed into the office out of nowhere, Gail held her hand up for her to remain where she was. 'Your Father and I are none of your concern. Why did you really want me to bring you here Caleb?' she asked and took another step closer to him.

Caleb smiled grimly and stood his ground. 'I wanted to clean up your mess, considerin' you brought a nosy Reporter here and she's clearly after somethin'. You won't do nothin' so it's time for me to get rid of her, just like my Father would'

'That's exactly how I was when I first came to Trinity, in fact I'm still like that. Does that make you want to get rid of me?' she asked calmly, trying not to spook him.

'Gail...' Merlyn went to warn her; however, stopped when Gail's hand came up to silence her again.

Caleb's features softened slightly and he shook his head. 'I don't wanna get rid of you Gail, I love you' he said in a voice more like his own.

Gail let out a sigh of relief when she saw the change in him and sensed the malicious side of him had gone, then rushed over to him, knelt down and took him in her arms. 'You had me worried there for a minute' she smiled, then looked into his dark eyes and saw her cousin had not returned to her.

Caleb gripped her neck tight, before she had chance to get away from him and began to squeeze. 'Did you ever think that I might just wanna kill you Gail?' he laughed grimly and allowed the dark power to flow through him, as his grip tightened around her neck.

Gail clawed at his hand and dug her nails in deep. 'Why?' she asked through hoarse breaths, as she fought to pull his hands away; however, he appeared to have an unnatural amount of strength.

'Why not? Maybe I'm routin' for Selena...' he shrugged, '...my Father would be a different man without you around'

'Stop!' came Lucas' stern voice from beside Merlyn and Caleb's grip instantly loosened.

Gail pushed him away from her and got up, holding her neck in shock.

Lucas went to Gail's side and placed a tender hand on her shoulder; however, she pulled away abruptly and went to stand with Merlyn. Lucas bit his lip in irritation, knowing this was not the time to challenge her and turned his attention towards his boy. 'This runnin' off and experimentin' on your own has to stop Caleb, now come back to me' he said soothingly, as he approached his son.

Gail watched in disgust as Caleb's features completely softened and he hugged Lucas, she turned towards Merlyn and saw she had the same expression on her face. 'Well seen as you two have some bonding to do, we're staying with Abe tonight' she said, then took hold of Merlyn's arm and began to lead her out of the office.

Lucas turned towards Gail and released his twin to lock the door. 'Don't be like this Darlin', you know this is a work in progress' he tried to reason.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'I'm taking myself out of the training process, considering the imprints around my neck. Luke is staying with me, so if you want to see him you know where we'll be...Now open the damn door!' she ordered and exited with Merlyn when he adhered to her wishes.

Lucas let out an exasperated sigh and ran his hand through his hair.

'I was only tryin' to help stop Christie, I'm sorry Lucas' Caleb apologised and looked down at his hands.

'Don't be sorry son, but next time come to me you hear?' Lucas advised.

'Yes sir' Caleb replied and followed Lucas out of the office.

* * *

Merlyn sat in the park where she usually met Matt and watched Rocky, as he ran around without a care in the world. Seeing her brother attack her cousin had caused something dark to stir within herself and she cursed herself for allowing her brother to get this way.

She suspected the anger she felt was some imprint of Gail's previous baby's soul, that she had subconsciously given her to make her whole. She decided that she did not care that she had part of a Buck inside of her, she had failed her brother and her fallen family, for allowing him to embrace his Buck genes so much recently; therefore, she would use whatever powers at her disposal to attempt to fix this.

It was hard for her as they were all playing happy family in the Buck Mansion and it was not as though she could step in. She knew Gail had not yet fully succumb to Lucas' way of being yet; therefore, there was still hope for her brother and Merlyn should have ensured Caleb fought the mans influence too.

Merlyn was disappointed with herself and wanted to make it right. She had decided to call the initial cause of his bad behaviour and it was time that she had a meeting. She did not know what she was going to do; however, she would not leave here without being sure it was all going to be alright.

Poppy spotted her ex-friend and gave her a small wave. She was happy that M had called her, as she had wanted to rekindle their friendship for a while now.

'Thank's for meetin' me here' Merlyn said, forcing a smile and signaled for Poppy to sit down on a bench with her.

Poppy sat down and smiled happily. 'It's been a while since you called me. I'd meet anywhere, I'm gettin' sick of TJ pinin' over me at home'

Merlyn nodded and let out a long breath, she understood Poppy's situation and it was awful that she was stuck in her family home with some guy; however, she had brought a world of hurt on her family and Merlyn was annoyed, even if Poppy did not realise what she had done. 'You need to stay away from Caleb' she stated bluntly and stared out into the park.

'Don't be silly, I like him so why would I do that?' she laughed, thinking this was a game.

'Look, you wanna make your own way in this town and I get that, but how do you think people will treat you when they find out you took that boy's innocence?' Merlyn asked, hating the road she was going down.

Poppy stared at her for a moment, then shook her head in disbelief. 'I ain't done any such thing!' she exclaimed, then stood up and began to walk away.

Merlyn stood up and started to follow her, with Rocky running close behind. 'Oh but you will...I see how you look at him and he may be young now, but he's growin'' she called after her.

Poppy stopped in her tracks and turned around, she would never touch a boy so young; however, she could not deny that she may act on their strong connection if he was older. 'If he was older there wouldn't be a problem' she shrugged.

Merlyn laughed and shook her head. 'There'd be a big problem, considerin' his cousin would tell the world that you groomed a young boy...Hell, I might even do it myself!' she snapped in the heat of the moment.

'Why would you do that?' Poppy asked hurt.

'Because we're family...' Merlyn said as she approached her, '...and we look after our own'

Poppy looked down at her hands and felt tears begin to form in her eyes. 'I ain't got no family' she sighed and wiped away a tear that was running down her cheek.

Merlyn felt the guilt for what she had suggested and placed a soft hand on her shoulder. 'You have me, you just don't have him' she warned.

Poppy let out a long breath and shook her head. 'Fine, if he comes around I'll send him away'

'Thank you' Merlyn forced a smile, then signaled for Poppy to follow her back to the bench. She had been as lonely as her once and she understood the sacrifice she was making by discarding a close friend; therefore, she would ensure she brought Poppy back into her inner circle.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail sat at the table in her old place of residence eating a slice of apple, while she awaited any sign of life. She had been tossing and turning all night over what had happened and she needed to find out what had pushed her cousin over the edge; therefore, she had sneaked out early and made her way here.

When Matt stumbled into the kitchen half asleep and jumped, Gail let out a small laugh. 'I didn't mean to scare you' she smiled and carved another slice of apple with the sharp knife she was holding.

Matt regarded his friend suspiciously for a moment, then sat down beside her and rubbed his eyes in an attempt to wake up. 'This is your house Gail, I'm just a freeloader until you kick me out. If you ever want it back...'

'In what universe do you think Lucas Buck would allow her to move away from his control?' Christie interrupted, as she entered the kitchen with Lucy.

Gail picked up her cup of coffee and handed it to Matt, then turned her attention towards Christie. 'I'm free to do whatever I please friend, just like you...although breaking into someone's personal place might jeapordise that freedom'

Matt glanced from Gail to Christie, then took the cup of coffee and started to head out of the kitchen. 'If either of you need me I'll be in my room...remember there's a little girl in here with you two' he warned and left them to it, knowing better than to get involved.

'It's not breaking in if the door is open Gail' Christie shrugged, then walked to the counter and took two mugs out of the cupboard.

Gail watched as Christie poured them both some coffee and spoke up before Christie put cream in hers. 'I'll take it black' she advised.

'I guess your tasting a lot of things differently these days' Christie said bitterly, then sat down at the opposite end of the table and pushed the mug over to her friend.

Gail smiled mischievously and picked up the mug. 'I can't help it if it tastes so good...you should whet your a appetite once in a while too, maybe it'll help release that rod from your ass and make you relax a little'

Christie shook her head slowly and leaned forward. 'You've changed and you know it...How could you let a man do that to you after so many years of shooting them down?' she asked in disbelief at her friends current state of being.

Gail took a sip of her drink then smile at Lucy as she tried to get Rocky's attention, who was sat obediently at her feet. 'It's not a man that's changed me and I love how you're so closed minded that you honestly believe it is...Maybe I just found my true potential, did you ever consider that?'

Christie did not like this side of her friend and she was convinced it was Lucas Buck that had corrupted her. 'Your true potential is your ability to uncover the truth and punish those who hurt others, not to sleep with the perpetrators' she said judgmentally, as she got up and pulled Lucy away from the dog.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'We've been over this, show me the evidence and I'll act accordingly, otherwise just shut up and get on with it'

'Like you have Mrs Buck? How does it feel down there on your knees?' Christie asked sarcastically.

Gail's smile disappeared and she felt Rosemary clawing to be released, at the disrespectful insinuation; however, she knew better than to lose control like that. 'Speaking of being on your knees, how's Billy Peele? I know you were very comfortable licking his boots the last time you were together' Gail said viciously and smiled devilishly when she saw the embarrassment on her friends face.

'You know I'm not like that, that was your fault...' Christie started, then stopped when Gail started laughing.

'It's Lucas' fault I've 'changed', it's my fault you performed such demeaning acts on man you like...Is it Matt's fault that you haven't gotten off your ass to find a place of your own to live? Or should we put that down to Lucas and I too?' Gail mocked.

Christie felt anger rising within her and she stood up, then smiled when Gail met her head on. 'Is there a reason you're bothering me this early in the morning when I need to take care of my child?'

'Is there a reason why you're snooping around my office, forcing me to confront you when I should be taking care of my child?' Gail shot back.

'It isn't my fault you've chosen to leave Luke with his Father to come here Gail'

'No, but it's your fault Caleb is in such a state and he's as much my child now as Luke is' Gail snapped.

'Really?' Caleb asked, standing by the door of the kitchen. He had awoken from a restless sleep and decided to ride over here on his bicycle to talk to Christie.

Gail closed her eyes and shook her head in exasperation, it was a comment she made in the heat of the moment and she did not expect it to be overheard by anyone but Christie. 'This isn't the time Caleb' she said and turned her attention back to Christie.

'You know what? I think this is the time for your screwed up family interaction, I'm going upstairs with Lucy' Christie advised, seeing an opening to get away and taking it.

Gail watched as Christie rushed out of the room and Matt returned, then forced a reassuring smile for him and sat back down at the kitchen table.

Caleb smiled when Matt patted his shoulder, then he went to sit beside his cousin. 'She's up to somethin'' he advised and nodded his appreciation when Matt placed a glass of milk down in front of him, before going back to the refrigerator.

'Had I not have been interrupted, I might've found out what that was...' Gail said in frustration, then placed her hand on Caleb's when she saw the apologetic look on his face. '...You're just a child Caleb. Next time leave her to me, you hear?'

Caleb nodded obediently and rested his head on her shoulder, sensing her worry and irritation.

* * *

Lucas sat in the Elementary School parking lot and glanced in the rearview mirror, to see how Luke was doing. He had awoken to an empty house this morning and had gone to Abe's to see his family; however, Gail had headed out early and left Luke with Abe. Lucas had taken his youngest to take care of for the day and now decided to pick up Caleb after school to see what was going on, as he had not heard from Gail.

Having Luke was not an inconvenience, especially as Gail had left the boy's milk allocation for the day and he had Ben on hand to assist; however, waking up in an empty bed yet again had been a bother and he wanted to nip that in the bud, before it became a routine.

After the happenings of the previous evening, he had given Gail her space. He had sensed her restlessness in the night and sent his twin to quietly sooth her in his absence; however, it appeared it had not worked and she had headed off on another one of her unnecessary investigations, leaving him to look after their family.

Lucas had gotten used to a certain order of things, his morning fun being one of them and he would not allow a little family disturbance to disrupt that. This situation was becoming tiresome and he had decided it was time for him to start taking full control.

Caleb spotted Lucas' navy blue Crown Victoria instantly, when he exited the school with Josh and Boone in tow. He made his excuses to his friends and rushed over to the car. When he opened the back passenger door, he was surprised to see Luke in his car seat. He leaned in and kissed his forehead while he discarded his backpack on the floor, then got in the front passenger seat and smiled at Lucas.

'You not gonna question why I'm here?' Lucas asked, as he turned on the engine and drove out of the parking lot.

'Gail ain't around and you got Luke, I'm guessin' I'm in for a hollerin'' Caleb shrugged and reached back to play with his younger brothers hand affectionately.

Lucas shot Caleb a quick glance, then returned his attention to the road. 'When have I ever gave you a hollerin'?...' he asked amused, '...You did get her in a bit of a stir last night though, you see her this mornin'?'

Caleb smiled when Luke let out a small laugh, then sat properly in his seat and gave Lucas his full attention. 'She was at her place early, took me to school and then headed to work I guess'

'She say anythin' to you about last night?'

'Only that I need to leave Christie to her, as I'm just a child' Caleb advised, irritated.

Lucas laughed, sensing that comment did not go over well; however, he could tell his boy was trying to behave. 'You know she wouldn't have meant that as bad as it sounded right?'

Caleb let out a long sigh, then smiled when he thought back to this morning. 'It came after she said I was as much her child as Luke was, so I guess she's just worried about me'

Lucas pulled over on a quiet stretch of road and turned towards Caleb. 'She said that you?' he asked curiously. He knew she cared about his boy, she would not have gone behind his back to get custody of him if she didn't; however, she had not openly said anything like that to him.

Caleb turned towards Lucas and shrugged. 'She said it to Christie when they were arguin', she didn't know I was there at the time'

Lucas thought for a moment, then smiled. 'I bet she didn't...' he laughed, knowing Gail liked to keep her true feelings hidden. '...What were they arguin' about?'

'I think Gail was tryin' to find out what she was up to, on account of me actin' like I did last night' Caleb said, as he stared down at his hands nervously. He did not want to cause anyone trouble; however, he could not help what he was feeling.

Lucas nodded, then shook his head. The darkness in his boy was not hers to control and as much as he appreciated her efforts to assist him, this was between Father and Son. 'You know what? Your cousin has a lot on her plate with Luke, the wedding and makin' sure your sister is alright...What's say we take the task of Christie away from her? Maybe give her back some time for herself'

Caleb thought for a moment, then smiled knowingly. 'I guess she could use a helpin' hand with all she has to do...Won't she be mad though?' he asked.

Lucas put his arm around Caleb and smiled. 'I said I'd help you through this and I meant it. If Christie is somethin' that's triggerin' your new side, that task is better suited for us...Don't you worry son, I'll take care of your cousin'

Caleb nodded obediently and watched as Lucas began to drive again. As long as nothing came back on him, he was happy to follow Lucas in whatever he wanted to do.

* * *

Gail entered the Buck Mansion and threw her keys on the small table to the side of the door. It had been a long day going over wedding plans with Merlyn and attempting to find a story to report on. She was drained and desperately wanted to see her son; therefore, she headed straight up to their bedroom, hoping Lucas had put him down at the right time to sleep.

When she opened the bedroom door, she was taken aback by the rose petals and candles lit throughout the room. She give herself a mental shake and walked over the the crib, where Luke was awake smiling up at her and picked him up carefully, then lay down on the bottom of the bed. 'You should be asleep' she said to Luke and rested him on her chest, as she closed her eyes and relaxed on the bed.

Lucas watched for a moment from behind the bedroom door, then closed it quietly to give them some privacy. It was late and he had been waiting impatiently for her to return, now that she was home all he wanted to do was ravish her.

Gail sensed his presence and let out a long breath. 'What? No scolding for abandoning you all day with your son?' she asked sarcastically.

Lucas inhaled deeply and walked towards her slowly, then carefully took Luke and placed him back in his crib. 'I knew where you were and thought you could use the freedom' he said and smiled when Luke's eyes finally closed, clearly content that his Mother was now home.

Gail forced herself up and started to approach the crib; however, Lucas grabbed her gently and slowly began to undress her. She watched as he knelt down to remove her skirt first, then looked up at her longingly. 'I appreciate the gesture, but I'm exhausted Lucas' she sighed, then stepped out of her skirt fully and continued to undress herself.

Lucas sensed something was bothering her and watched as she took off her top and pulled on her short, satin slip nightdress. Before she had a chance to reach for her dressing gown, he grabbed her arms gently and pulled her to him. 'Caleb's fine, I'm on it so you don't need to be concerned' he reassured her.

'Your evil and by your own admission downright reprehensible...you think I don't need to worry?' she asked seriously.

Lucas laughed and shook his head. 'Sometimes I hate that memory of yours' he smiled and turned her around, moved her hair away from her shoulder and began gently kissing it.

Gail took in a long breath at the feel of his lips on her skin, then leaned back into him. 'You went to a lot of trouble here' she said, as she glanced at the rose petals and candles.

'I was bored waitin' for the Mistress of the house to return' he joked, then trailed his lips up to her neck and began to nip at her teasingly.

Gail let out a low moan, as his hand moved over her stomach and down between her legs. She was exhausted and needed some rest; however, she did not have the strength to resist him and was not convinced she would if she could. She allowed him to play with her for a moment, broke free of his grasp and pulled him down to the bed.

Lucas instinctively moved on top of her, then reached under her nightdress and removed her panties. He stood up and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, then unzipped his pants and stepped out of them. He smiled as she stared at his naked body with appreciation and desire, then carefully climbed back on top of her and parted her legs with his. 'You will disappear without allowing us to get our release in the mornin' these days' he mock scolded her, then reached under her nightdress and ran his hands up her body.

Gail laughed, then closed her eyes and bit her lip at the exquisite feeling of his hands on her bare skin. 'You will allow your son to go off the rails and attack me' she sighed.

Lucas stopped for a moment and inspected her neck, even in the dim light of the candles he could see the faint mark left by Caleb's small hands. Before he had a chance to speak, Gail caressed his cheek and ran her thumb softly over his lips, then pulled him down and kissed him passionately. Lucas sucked her tongue and lifted off her nightdress when he pulled out of the embrace, he had Caleb in hand and he had waited for her long enough already.

'Leave Christie alone, I'll deal with her' Gail said, as she lifted up her arms to allow him to completely remove her nightdress.

Lucas smiled, knowing she knew it was his natural instinct to remove any object in their way. 'That's fine' he lied, then moved down to her breasts and began to suck.

Gail tangled her hands in his hair, then pulled him up roughly to face her. 'I mean it Lucas, I don't want you getting involved here' she ordered, sensing his lie.

Lucas inhaled deeply for a moment, then laughed. 'Ignoring my concern over the fact that you wanna talk about another woman in our current position...I swear I won't touch a hair on her body' he said in an honest tone.

Gail looked deep into his eyes, then let out a relieved breath and released her hold on him. 'Fine, that's all I wanted' she advised, then dug her long nails into his back and clawed down.

Lucas smiled and placed a soft kiss on her lips, then thrust his manhood deep inside of her while she was not expecting it.

Technically he had been honest as he would not be touching Christie, that pleasure would go to Caleb; however, right now all he wanted to do was focus on his love and enjoy the feeling of being inside of her. Everything else would be a concern for another day.

-The End-


End file.
